Louis Armstrong vs. George Harrison

Biggs · Post by **Biggs** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:31 pm

I affirm. Also, both were willing to experiment with their music and go beyond sticking with a proven, popular formula. For example. Armstrong's groups had many different instrumentation combinations. He made due with less and took advantage of larger groups. Harrison's love affair with the sitar and other elements of traditional Indian music were (in all likelihood) the first time American mainstream audiences had been exposed to that genre.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:45 pm

Louis Armstrong didn't have that British accent, though!

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:02 pm

windshieldbug wrote:Louis Armstrong didn't have that British accent, though!

Or a mop top! Anyone handy with Photoshop care to alter a picture???

Tim

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:20 pm

I would also argue that Pops really didn't evolve after about 1932. He adapted to different groups, and sang more, but his playing style (or really, his singing style) really didn't change much, compared to the (r)evolution brought on by Goodman, Parker/Gillespie, Davis, Mulligan, et al.

The Ken Burns series "Jazz" infuriated me. Armstrong and Ellington were NOT the overriding influences in jazz for their entire careers. Both, after about 10-12 years of popularity, were far overshadowed by others. Armstrong, because he didn't progress (think R Strauss--wrote the same stuff in his late life as in early...compare him to Mahler) Ellington lost his edge in the later 30's when Basie got big, and then Ellington went off into more "classical" oriented directions, within the structure of a big band.

Harrison at least progressed beyond the Lennon/McCartney confines, even if he had comparatively little commercial success. (And, let's just ignore "When We Were Fab" and "Got My Mind Set On You").

UDELBR · Post by **UDELBR** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 2:30 pm

eupher61 wrote:The Ken Burns series "Jazz" infuriated me. Armstrong and Ellington were NOT the overriding influences in jazz for their entire careers. Both, after about 10-12 years of popularity, were far overshadowed by others.

Agreed. This is PC BS that can probably be traced back to Marsalis revisionism.

Mojo workin' · Post by **Mojo workin'** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:17 pm

George became a fairly decent sitarist when he studied with Ravi Shankar. Better than Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. As a writer, he even synthesized some characteristic Indian musical sounds and devices with Beatles pop style(Within you without you, Love you to). A great musician he was.

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:27 am

It appears to me that pre - Armstrong dixieland players took themselves terribly seriously as do too many of us today.
He put the smile in dixieland and the growl on the vocals that made that type of music more palatable and recognizable to visitors.
Heard a story that "Satchmo" would show up for a gig at 8 P.M. with a gallon of gin. Seven o'clock the following morning the gin would be gone and Satch would be hitting high F's consistently and most other trumpet players that showed up would be passed out on the floor or rubber - lipped beyond recovery.

OldsRecording · Post by **OldsRecording** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:50 am

Announcer: In 1964, John Coltrane was at his peak, Eric Dolphy was in Europe, where he would eventually die, the Modern Jazz Quartet was making breakthrough recordings in the field of Third Stream Music, Miles Davis was breaking new barrier with his second great quintet, and Charlie Mingus was extending jazz composition to new levels of complexity. But we're going to talk about Louis singing "Hello Dolly" instead.

I know this has been posted before, but I just makes so much damn sense...

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:20 pm

Screw 'em both. Give me Some Frank Zappa instead. At least he stood up to a current presidential candidate when the candidate was advocating for censorship (hint, this candidate worked with Tipper Gore). Plus, he is more fun to listen to.

Sou

Mojo workin' · Post by **Mojo workin'** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:55 pm

Screw 'em both.

Same to you.

Frank was great, but WTF does political activism have to do with the art of music?

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:01 pm

What does the support of the art not have to do with the art of music?

My strength is that I realize I know nothing.

Mojo workin' · Post by **Mojo workin'** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:05 pm

My strength is that I realize I know nothing.

Why then do you post off handed insipid comments about things that you know not of?

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:05 pm

Mojo workin' wrote:
Screw 'em both.
Same to you.

OOOH! Well I never

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:43 pm

Mingus HATED being called "Charlie". And Armstrong always referred to himself as "Louis" (English pronunciation) or "Pops" or "Satchmo", but never as 'Louie'.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:49 pm

Their names both have 14 letters in them. Coincidence? I think NOT!

TMurphy · Post by **TMurphy** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:28 pm

Really, George only stands a chance if he can keep Louis away with his jab. If he gets close enough to get tagged with a left hook, he's toast.

OldsRecording · Post by **OldsRecording** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:42 pm

windshieldbug wrote:Their names both have 14 letters in them. Coincidence? I think NOT!

Not only that, but Lou Gherig actually died of- get this- LOU GHERIG'S DISEASE!

Like, that is so freakin' WEIRD!

ken k · Post by **ken k** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:04 pm

UncleBeer wrote:
eupher61 wrote:The Ken Burns series "Jazz" infuriated me. Armstrong and Ellington were NOT the overriding influences in jazz for their entire careers. Both, after about 10-12 years of popularity, were far overshadowed by others.
Agreed. This is PC BS that can probably be traced back to Marsalis revisionism.

you may have seen this before but whenever I think of the Ken Burns jazz thing I can't help but want to read it again...

enjoy....

The following has been making its way around Web jazz sites.
>
> ------
Presenting Ken Burnsâ€™ 144-hour, Extremely Important documentary: â€œJazz.â€

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:44 pm

and then came Ellington...